Last Voyages

Chapter 46

You Said You'd Grow Old With Me by Michael Schulte is the song for this chapter, and it really goes well with it! Y'all are really going to hate me. But I love y'all!!

Isabella's POV:

Harry and I were walking around the beach, swords up and ready to fight just in case. The soldiers who had learned of Emperor Tyrone's death were furious, and only a few surrendered or ran away.

We still had to be on our toes with them or else we'd be the ones without a head.

"Bella behind you!" Harry yells and I swirl around, seeing a soldier coming at me with his sword raised. Before I could do anything Harry shoved the man to the ground and stabbed him through the stomach.

"We've got to be more careful." he says urgently towards me and I nod. 

"Yes, of course. Sorry. I was thinking." I say lamely and he gives me a small smile. "Think later, dear. Right now we have a war to finish." he says and I smile back.

"You're right." I reply and he looks around, a relieved look coming to his eyes as he looks across the beach towards the town. 

I follow his gaze and I let out a breath of relief as I see Louis running towards us, a smile on his face as he did. Harry and I put up our swords as we began running towards him.

"You're okay!" he yells and we meet him halfway, the three of us hugging each other at once, grateful we've survived this terrible war. 

"I'm so glad you're okay." I whisper, glad I was able to keep Shayla's promise. 

Once we pulled away, we looked around to check our surroundings. The soldiers were now making their way back towards the beach, retreating from the town.

"Queen Phillipa just announced the death of the Emperor. The soldiers are starting to scatter everywhere," Louis informs us and a smile comes to my face. "Some of them have already surrendered and have been taken prisoner for now. Others are either running or still fighting." Louis says and both Harry and I nod our heads.

"So the flood of soldiers isn't exactly a good sign?" Harry asks, gesturing towards the amount of soldiers coming back to the beach and Louis lets out a sigh.

"Probably not. But the palace soldiers should have it under control. The numbers aren't that great anymore, so they'll be able to wrap this up before nightfall." Louis says and I sigh relieved.

"Good, because it's only another hour or so until dark." I mutter and Harry agrees with me.

"We should look across the beach," Louis says. "See if there are any survivors. Phillipa is going to be sending a caravan of wounded soldiers to the castle, so if we can find others we can send them back too." he says and I swallow hard. I still had to tell him about Shayla. I still had to get her body back. 

"Let's go." Harry says and I give a hesitant nod. The three of us headed out, still keeping an eye out for soldiers, hoping we wouldn't have to keep fighting them off. 

Only a few stray soldiers would make their way over to us, trying to fight, but Harry or Louis would quickly cut them down or force them into a position where they would ask for mercy. It wasn't very pleasant going across the beach, having to look at the bodies littering the ground or trying to find a place to walk that wasn't covered in blood.

My eyes continued to scan the beach, hoping to find the soldiers submitting or any sign of life. Anything other than the image of death. It was sad to see the Aluverian soldiers still trying to fight even after the Emperor was announced dead.

As Harry, Louis, and I trudged along the beach, my eyes widen and I let out a gasp as I see a figure leaning against a rock.

"Niall?!" I scream, taking off in a run towards him, Harry and Louis hot on my heels after hearing me shout his name. I stop dead in my tracks as we get closer to Niall, my eyes widening in horror as I see him...or what's left of him.